Process for sterilizing liquids by heating



Sept. 19, 1939. 35 JONGE 2,173,411

PROCESS FOR STERILIZING LIQUIDS BY HEATING Filed Feb. 18, 1935 Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE airs-.411

mocEss roe smnnrznvc uooms BY near-ma Jonge Application February 18, 1935, Serial No. 1,113 In the Netherlands February 20, 1934 LCIaim.

and it has also been proposed to pasteurize milk in so-called tube-pasteurizers, in which the liquid is conducted along a tortuous path through a system of tubes which is externally heated to pasterization temperature, the liquid being, howcver, exposed for an extended period, i. e., for several minutes, to the said temperature. Both methods have the disadvantages that the sterilized or pasteurized liquids, e. g., beer or milk, always have the unpleasant taste caused by pasteurization.

According to my invention it is now possible to sterilize liquids completely under conditions in II which they will entirely retain their original taste and color, and will keep for an indefinite period of time.

There are also known devices for the sterilization of milk, in which the milk is conducted m through a heating element, comprising a plurality of narrow tubes together forming a single conduit, the said tubes being housed in a casing provided with a feed line and a discharge line for the heating medium and having a cooler con- 35 nected with the heating element. In this device milk at room temperature is brought to a high temperature within a very short time.

with these devices, however, one is not certain that the milk is really exposed for a sufficient 80 period to the higher temperatures which are absolutely necessary for killing the spores, so that there always remains the possibility of obtaining a non-sterile product. This uncertainty is entirely removed by the application of the device 35 according to my invention. For this purpose the novel device comprises at 1cm two heating elements, the supply of the heating medium to each of the said elements being separately adjustable, and the individual tubes in each heating element 40 being mutually connected by means of comparatively wide mixing chambers. In this manner the liquid after leaving each heating tube and before it enters into the next heating tube, is given a whirling motion, which causes the entire 45 mass of liquid to obtain the same temperature.

In the brown sterilizing device, on the contrary, the individual heating tubes are connected by means of bent pieces having the same diameter, which results in that the core of the how of liquid so always remains in the same place and consequently receives the least share of the heat, so that the same temperature will not be present in all parts of the flow of liquid.

The said whirling motion may further be pro- 55 moted in the device according to the invention by It is known to' sterilize liquids under pressure providing in the mixing chambers a pointed projection opposite to and located in the axis of the heating tubes.

According to the invention it is possible to completely sterilize withina short time by a single 5 treatment the most widely varying kinds of beverages such as beer, 'lemonade, cider, fruit juices, milk, cream, skimmed milk, etc., so that they will retain their original taste, color and composition.

My invention will now be further explained 10 with reference to the drawing which may by way of example represents a device for sterilizing milk and milk products.

In the said drawing Fig. 1 represents a view of the device according 5 to my invention, part of it being a vertical cross section,

Fig. 2 is a view according to the line IIII in Fig. 1 the closing piece being removed and Fig. 3 is a similar view according to the line III-III in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 represents a detail on a somewhat enlarged scale.

'Ihe device according to Fig. 1 contains three heating elements comprising passages I, for exas ample tubes of a large diameter in which are located the narrow heating tubes 8. The said passages are each connected with a steam supply tube 21 by means of the branch tubes 2, 3, I and with a steam exhaust pipe 28 by means of the 30 branch tubes 5, 6. I, the said branch tubes 2, 3, I each being provided with a cock or faucet (not shown).

By adjusting the said cocks it is possible to regulate the supply of steam to the heating elements and consequently their temperature. The diameter of the tubes 8 in the present case is 11 millimetres.

The outlet ends, of the heating tubes 8 open into mixing chambers 9 to which the next tube is connected, so that the liquid to be sterilized is given a whirling motion in the said mixing chamhers and will circulate through the tubes along a tortuous path. The mixing chambers are closed by two common closing pieces 10 and II in which latter closing piece there is provided a supply tube 11 for feeding the liquid to be sterilized into the lower tube 8. The end of the last narrow tube 3 which is located in the upper passage is connected here by means of a mixing chamber [3 to the cooler it which in the present embodiment is arranged above the heating elements. The said cooler consists of a passage 15 in which are provided five cooling tubes l6 through which the milk is flowing in counter-current with the coolenlargedscileinl 'lg.4tnihlchthe without.

sharppdntottheisloeetedenacfl! msterilizingotherllquids,suchas,e.g.,beer, inthe'exlsotthetuhel. 1118mm heatingtoalowertemperamreJox-instaneeto producedhythisproJecflmi-sindicstedinthe about90-100' C.wilibesumcientandthetube flgurebythem maybesmallerinlengtmsothattwo Aftertheenflredevioehubeenflrst, heating elementswillsuflice.

Itisohvloimthatitisn forbeerand other beverages containing carbonic acid cooling istobeeflecteddowntoatempemtureofabout 0 0.,inordertopreventthecerbonic acid present in the beverage to start efl'ervescing and beinglostduringflillnz.

Itis anespecially feature that according to my present invention cream and even skimmed milk may be perfectly sterilized without anydetrlment.

Iclaim: A process for perfectly sterilizing putreflable liquidmcomprlsiim hesting-theliquidbeingtreated under substantial pressure in a continuous ng-mg path consfituted by the heating tubes of gilmluthfleloitheintermcdiafeheatingelethreeheatingeiements,causingawhlrlingmomentandsboutM-IBO' (latterleavingthelest tion of the liquid at the end ofea/ch individual hi fthelmnfl' mlimelement. Thesaid heatingtubereguiatingthesimplyottheheml be r ad fr m the thermmningmedlumtothe individual heating elements in etersplacedl mlflngehamhergone suchmannerthatthetemperamreofthelfquid o ofwhlch we isdenotedinthednwing beingtreateduponlmvlng thelestheeflng tube 40 w mthenmmanmrfhemthe oifheflrstheatingelement isaboutl35c.,about mixingchsmbetalndatflle'endotthecoolnt C uponleavlng'thela.stbeatingtubeofthe mnwbereadfiemrecoxdingme The secondheatingelement, andabout C.upon lsstgaugeilindloatcdinthe leavlngthelasthmtingtuheotthethirdheaflng i mu elemenhtheliquidforoniyaiewsec-m asaboutt the ressurereguhting nlvellintbetubelllsodimtedsoflntotthe endofthecoolerihepimiircwlllbeaboutflfi In the tube system 8 the milk consequently lsomlytorrafewaecondstothetemperature required for comgfletely killing all germs andspores,whiehinthecaseofmilkprefemhly isashighas140-160'C.,butwhlchalwmmust belbovelwc.

Inthecooler ll themiikiscooledtoabout 80' C. and finally filled into sterilized bottls throughthepipelinell connectedtotheieed lineoftheflllingdevioe. llilktreetedinthis msnnerwillkccpformindeflniteperiodof time ondstotherequiredforcmnpietely killing all germs andspores, and subsequently cooling the 'liquidunder pressure.

LEOHARDUSMJONGE.

cmn'mern: or oommc'i'ron.

Patent H0. 2,175, 1 11.

Sep ember 19,1939.

LEOHARDUS do JORGE. ,It is certified that error appeal-sin the above numbered patent requiring correction the followe: In the heading to the printed s ecification, line I, both occurrencosQand inthc grant, lines 5 end 1;, and line 16 both occurrences r r 'Jdjdarvold' eed zuaervem; linel er the grant, for "Tim SYIDIGLZIE" road the smIcATE'; and 1111915, etrfure out "The" before 'syndicatag aa shol'uiby-the record of assignments inthis office; and that the said Lottors Potent ehmfld be read with e11. correction therein that "the cane my conform to-therecord 01' the case inthe Patent Office.-

si wmd a eme ald dey of January, A. 11. 191p.

e Hem-y Van Aradalq,

(8011) Acting emissions:- of Patents asaboutt stmoqilerelthe ressure vllvellinthetuhellisndimtedloflntotthe gofthecoolertheprmiire wlllbeaboutflfi In the tube system 8 the milk consequently isomlytorraiewaecondsexposedtothetemperaturereqmredtotcom fletelykilllngollgerms 5 andspores,whichintheeaseofmiikprefemhly isashighas140-160'C.,butwhiehaiwaysmust beebovelwc.

Intheeooier ll themilkiscooledtoebout C. and finally filled into sterilized bottis throughtheplpellnellconnectcdtotheifeed lineoftheiillingdeviee. Milktrestedinthis mannerwillkeepforenindeflniteperiodoftime withoutspollim.

msterilizingotherliquids,suchas,e.g.,beer, heating to a lower temperature, for instance to about -100' C. will be suilicient and the tube sysmnmsybesmallerinlengtmsothattwo heating elementswillsuflice.

Itisohvlwsthatitisnwessaryforbeerand other beverages containing carbonic acid cooling istoheeflecteddowntoatempemtureefabout 0 C.,inordertopreveutthecarbonic acid present in the beverage to start efl'ervescing and beinglostduringfllling.

ltisanespeciallysurprislngieaturethetaccording to my present invention cream and even skimmed milk may be perfectly sterilized without anydetrlment.

Iclaim:

A process for perfectly sterilizing putreflable liquids,comprisilm heotins-theiiquidbeingtreated under substantial pressure in a continuous ng-mg path consfituted by the heating tubes of three heating elements, causing a whirling motlon o! the liquid at the end of each individual heating tube, regulatingthestmply o! the heatingmediumtothe individual heating elements in suchmnnner thatthe tanperemre ofthelfquid beingtreateduponleoving thelastheeflng tube 40 oitheflrstheating elementis about C.,a.bout Qubonleovlngthelsstheatingtubeof the secondheatingelement, and about C. upon leavingthelasthatingtubeotthethirdheatmg elemenhexposingtheliquidforonlyaiewsec-u; ondstothetempenturesrequiredforcmnpletely killing all germs and spores, and subsequently cooling the sterflized'liquid under pressure.

WHARDUSMJONGE.

cem'mca'nz or commc'i'ron.

Patent H0. 2,175, 1 11.

.seil eulber 19,1939.

memos de JORGE. ,It is eertified that error appeal-sin the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the heading to the printed specification, line I, both occurrenceeQand inthc grant, lines 5 end 1;, and line 16 both occurrences r r 'Jiljdal'vqld read Zuni-"1a; linez of the grant, for "Tim SYIDIGLZIE" read the smIcATe'; and line 15, shun out; "The" before 'syndicateg ae shol'niby-the record of assignments inthzls office; and that the said Letters Patent ould be reed filth this correction therein that "the cane my conform to-therecord of the case inthe Patent Office.-

Signedand eeeled this-21d any of January, A. 11. 191p.

(sen) Hem-y Yon Aradalq, Acting fluisaiener of Patents 

